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How Do We Build a Creative Tees Valley? (Spoonful of Knowledge)

Event details

About | How Do We Build a Creative Tees Valley? (Spoonful of Knowledge)

Join us to discuss, debate and delve into topical areas of new thinking with like-minded individuals in an informal and relaxed environment.

How Do We Build a Creative Tees Valley?

In many cities and towns across the world culture is being hailed as the answer to post-industrial problems. Many theorists and experts in urban planning have suggested that culture-led regeneration can attract people who lift post-industrial areas into the modern age.

It’s a long held idea that the increase in arts and culture can support a town developing itself out of an industrial past. How can we do this in a way that involves the current community as well as cultural organisation making change?

The main theory behind this is called ‘the creative class’ by Richard Florida which has given birth to the concept of ‘hipsters’ and gentrification, where creative middle class hipsters move to an area to make it more attractive, a by-product of which is to drive out the original resident who can’t afford to live there anymore. In his latest book Richard Florida admits he’s messed up and accidentally created inequality.

But in Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley we are doing things differently. The university is working with a variety of partners to look at how we can engage everybody in the process.

This session will share examples of what we’d like your help with and what we’ve achieved so far. With the region considering a bid for UK City of Culture in 2025 we want to open a debate on how best to engage you and hear your thoughts on the role culture can play in the place you call home.